Metal-bending machine.



J. M. FEDDERS.

METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1912.

Patented Dec. 22,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTDR ATTORNEYS 3 Wi TN EEIEIES May (761 Patented Dec. 22, 1914;

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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J. M. FEDD'BRS. METAL BEN-DING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1912.

('INVENTEIR 'ATTURNEYEJ WITNEEIEEE JOHN M. rnnnnns, or BUFFALO, NEWYORK, nssieNon, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro

rnnnnns MANUFACTURING coMrANY, me, or nnrrnno, NEW YORK, A conrom- TIONon NEW roan.

'mnrannnNniNe mourns.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patante De -22 1914 Application filedMarch 80, 1912. Serial No; 687,306.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOH M. Fnnonns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Metal-Bending Machines,

of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a'metal bending.

machine which is more particularly designed for bending a strip of sheetmetal so as to form a succession of laterally projecting plaits and alsolongitudinal oflsets thereon for use in the manufacture of watercoolingradiators for automobiles.

It is the object of this invention to produce a machine of thischaracter which will permit of producing such strips expeditiously andeconomically and without stretching the metal while forming the plaits,and in which the Various parts are so organized that the saine are notliable to get out of order and the wear upon the same is reduced to aminimum.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 2 sheets: Figure l is afragmentary vertical longitudinal section of a press or bending machineembodying my invention, the parts being represented in a position inwhich the punch and die are separated to their fullest extent. Fig. 2 isa similar view of the same but showing the parts in an intermediateposition. Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse section taken substantially inline 3 3, Fig. 1. 4 is a bottom plan View of the punch.. Fig. 5 is a topplan View of the die. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinalsection taken in line 6-6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of the plaited radiator strip which is produced by my improvedbending machine.

Similar characters of reference indicate .corresponding parts throughoutthe several a longitudinal row, a plurality of laterally projectingplaits 2 the walls of which are connected at their outer edges .whiletheir inner edges are connected respectively with the opposingtransverse edges of two adjacent webs, and outwardly projecting offsetsor beads 3 arranged longitudinally at opposrtelateral edges of the webs,the offsets at corresponding lateral edges of the webs beand 5 the punchor upper member thereof which is movable vertically toward and from thedie. The die is mounted on a stationary holder, support or table 6 whilethe punch is'mountedona vertically movable head or holder 7 which may beoperated by any suitable or well known means, such operating. mechanismnot being shown in the drawings inasmuch as the same may be like thatnow in general use.

its general organization the die comprises a body or base having frontand rear cross bars 8, 9 and two longitudinal sidev bars 10 connectingcorresponding ends of the front and rear bars so that the same in effectforms a rectangular open-frame resting upon the upper side of thesupport or table.

Within the frame-shaped die base or body are arranged the die members orsections proper, the same comprising-a front die section 11,. anintermediate 'die'section 12 and a rear die section 13. The front diesection is arranged. within the front part of the base and secured tothe front cross bar by screws 14- or otherwise so as to be fixed orheldstationary and the same is provided on its upper side witha flathorizontal face- 15 and two longitudinal ribs, beads or raised portions16 arranged at opposite ends of the upper flatportions of this section.The upright rear transverse side of this front guide section has a lowervertical portion 17 while the corner between the upper end of this rearside and the rear end ofthe upper side of this die section is rounded orbeveled slightly, as shown at 18 in Figs. 1 and 2.

The intermediate die section is provided on its front side with anupright face 19 which cooperates with the vertical face of the front diesection, on its rear side with a vertical transverse lower face 20 andon its upper side with a horizontal face 21 andlongi-tudinal upwardlyprojecting ribs or raised portions 22. The upper front corner oftheintermediate diersection is beveled,

as shown at 23. Normally this intermediate die section is yieldinglyheldin an elevated positionis'o' that the upper side thereof is arrangedabove the upper side of the front die section a distance substantiallyequal to v the depth of the plaits of the radiator: strip and theunderside of this die section is-raised above the table or support ofthe die to a similar extent; as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. Theintermediate die section is moved vertically and the same is guided inthis movement preferably by engagement of its front side with the rearside of the front section and by engagement of its opposite ends withthe inner sides of the side bars andalso by means of vertical guide rods2"! 1 each of which is secured at its upper end to the underside of theintermediate die section while its lower end slides in ayerticalguideway 25 formed inthe adjacent part of the support 6. The upwardmovement of this guide section is limited by means. of enlargements orheads 26 formed at the 7 lower ends of the guide rods 24 and adapted toengage with downwardly facing shoulders 27 formed in said guideways,asshown in Fig. 3.-

The rear section of the die is arran ed in rear. .of the intermediatesection an is capable of both a vertically and also ahorizontallyreciprocating movement. .On its so front 'side'the rear die section isprovided with a lower vertical transverse face 28 which is arrangedopposite the vertical rear face of the intermediate sectlon, a horlzon-.taL upper ,face 29, upwardly projecting longitudinalv-ribsor ralsedportions 30 arranged at. opposite ends of the upper horizonalface,-ands." downwardly v recessed rabbet' 31 of rectangular form arranged inrearof the upper horizontal face. The rear 40. die section is guidedinits horizontal and vertlcal movements-preferably by means oftwo-upright'guiderods 32 each of which is secured at its up er 'and .tothe underside of this section w 'leiits lower end slides in aguideway33formedin the adjacent part .of" the support or table, these uidewaysbeing. elongated lengthwise .of t e die sow as to permit' of -jtherequisite longitudinal movement of vthis 'SQGtIOIl. The i1 ward movementofJthe reardie sectionris l mited by'means-=of an enlargement ior ihead'34 formed at the lower-endofaeach of. the guide rods' 32'and engaging'with afdownwardly facing-shoulder 351 formed .the guideway- 1555 B3 a'sshown in Figi ar'iou's' means? ma e dingly holding the" intermediate andrear lo'o sely at-their uppe v rear part of the die base and secured bys r. above the faces 'of the intermediate and'rear be employed for.

4 guide seeti'ons in-v elevatedi-po'sition butthose ashbwniin thedamage-am preferred al mme se ra ded: si lmy formedintheqsup tableand;en' ,1 d's'lwith the" dersides of the intermediate'and reali-fldie 42at the lower end of the main supporting rod, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and3. The upward movement of the lifting plate is preferably limited byengagement with the underside of the table; In the elevated position-ofthe rear guide section its upper 'and lower sides are flush with thecorresponding sides of the intermediatedie sections. The elevated ribsof the several die sections at the corresponding ends thereof arearranged lengthwise in line, as shownin Fig. 5. 35

The longitudinal horizontal movement of the rear die section may beproduced by various means, the means for this purpose shown in thedrawings consisting of springs 43 interposed between the lower opposing0 vertical faces of the intermediate and rear fdie sections and eachseated at its opposite ,lower rearside ,of therear'die section andengaging with an inclined face 45 formed on the front side ofastationary abutment block46 arranged upon the tame within the t bolts 47or otherwise to the rear barof the base, asshown in Figs.v 1 and- 2.Upon depressing therear die section the same is moved horizontallyforward by the wedge or cam action of its rear inclined face with theinclined face at the front endlof the abutment block, and when, the reardie section is elevated the same is moved horizontally rearward by theresilience of the springs 43. Projecting upwardly from the bottom of therabbet on the rear die section are two retaining pins or lugs 48 whichhave their upper ends flush with the upper sides of this die sectionvand are separated tion is constructed in an elevated position diesections while the die and punch are separated or open which means alsoserve to lift this radiator, section'from the die after the bendingoperation-has been completed so as topermit the-blank to he moved .125forwardly step by step after the successive bending operations have beenperformed on the same. This lifting device preferably comprises twovertically-movable ejector oi-lifting rods 49; which are guidedinsuitable openings or ways .50'formed in the front die section, andsprings 80 arranged in pockets 51 formed in'the table and engaging withthe lower ends of these ejecting pins. In theireleyated position theupper ends of these ejecting pmsare arranged above the upperfac'e of thefront die section a distance" equal to twice the height of the plaitsofthe' finished radiator strip and the extent ofthis movement is limitedpreferably by means of enlargements or stop heads 52 formed, at'thelower ends of the ejecting pins and engaging with the under side of thefront die section.

Although the punch sorfar as its detail construction is. concernedmay bevaried to some extent it: is preferably constructed as follows: 53represents the body or base of the ]punch which ma be secured to thevertica screws 54, as' shown, or any other suitable means. On itsunderside the punch body or base is provided near its front end with atransverse punch blade, former or tongue 55 which isfladapted tocoiiperate with the rear side of the front die section and the-beveledfront corner of the intermediate die segtion for effecting a preliminaryor partial bending of the metal of the blank for partly bending one ofthe plaits thereon. This punch blade is preferably removably secured tothe punch base byarranging the upper part of this bladein a slot orgroove 56 in said base and securing the same therein by meansof setscrews 57 so that this blade projects below the face of the punch basean extent equal to the height of one of the plaits of the radiatorstrip. The front side 58 of the front blade is vertical and in line withthe rear side of the front die section and the rear side 59 of the sameis beveled and arranged parallel with the inclined face at theupper'front corner of the intermediate die section; In Year of the punchblade is arranged a clamping block or a'w: 60 which 1s movablevertically relatively to the punch base and which is adapted to pressthe radlator blank against the upper sides orfaces of the intermediateand rear guide sections during h'e operation of forming the plantsin-the underside of the punch-body in rear of thepunch blade and isprovided with afiat horizontal face 62 onits" underside which isadaptedto cooperate with the flat upper beads of the intermediate vand rear diesectionsand with longitudinal. rooves 63 nearopposite ends of its flatace which. are

adapted to receive ,the longitudinal ribs or beadsof the intermediateandrear die sections. The clamping block may be guided in its verticalmovements relatively to the punchibase by any suitable means butpreferably by the means which are shown 1n the y movable hea 'or holderby means of' Thisclamping block ismovable vertically in arecess 61formed Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In its lowermost position.

relatively to the punch body and blade the clamping block has its lowerface arranged below the lower edge .of said blade, as shown n Fig. 1.The clamping block is yieldingly held in this position by means ofvertically movable pressure rods 66 secured at their lower ends to theupper side of the clamping block and guided at their upper ends in ways67 formed partly in the punch. body and partly in the punch holder, andsprings 68 each of which is. arranged in the upper ends of one of saidguideways 67 and bears against the upper end of the respective presserrod. Theniownward movement of the clamping block relatively to the punchbody and bladeis limited by means of a stop device which preferablyconsists of'enlargements or heads 69 formed at the upper ends of theguide rods 64 and presser rods 66 and adapted to engage with upwardlyfacing shoulders 70 formed in their companion guideways. Those portionsof the underside of the punch body in front and in rear of the punchblade are provided with horizontal bearing faces 71, 72 which areadapted to cooperate with the corresponding fiat upper v faces of thefront and intermediate die sections, "and near opposite ends of thesefiat faces the punch body is provided with longi tudinalgrooves ."73, 74which are arranged lengthwise in line with the' companion radiator..strip. -'The sheet of metal fromwhich the radiator strip is constructedmay be supplied totlie machine and fed forward intermittently one stepata time with-an interval of rest between each step by any suitablemeans. V

In Fig. 1 the-parts are represented in full lines in the position which.they .assume when the die and unch are fully separated and the sheetmeta blank has been fed for- -Ward one step preparatory to being oper-'ated upon for producing the next plait and offset forming operationthereon. It will be noted that in this position of the parts theintermediate and rear sections of the die are in. their uppermostposition, the blank is lifted by the ejecting pins into a position in awhich the completed and partly completed zplaits are arranged Whollyabove the upper faces of theintermediate and front die sections, and theclamping block of the punch is depressed and "has its lower facearranged below thelower edge of-the punchblade.

Duringthe first step of the downward move ment of the punch theunderside of the clamping block is brought into engagement wlth theblank above the intermediate and rear die sections whereby the adjacentpart of the blank is clamped between this block and these die sectionsbut the punch blade is still out of engagement from the blank,

as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. During the punch blade movedownwardly independently of said clamping block and intermediate andrear die sections, thereby causing the underside of the punch body inrear of the punch blade to bear upon the blank resting upon the adjacentpart of the intermediate die.sectionland also causing the beveled'faceof the punch blade to bend the adjacent part of the blank downwardlyinto engagement with the beveled upper front corner ofthe intermediatedie' section, as shown by'full lines at '7 5 in Fig. 2 and form the rearwall of a plait. The intermediate and rear die sections are thus held intheir uppermost and elevated position while the clamping block recedesinto its recess in the punch body by reason'of the spring 40 which,sustains the intermediate and rear diesections being stiffer or strongerthan the springs 68 which tend'to depress the clamping block. While thepunch blade is thus bending the metal blank theejector pins also recededownwardly into the front die sectionso that that part of the blank"immedi'atelyin front of the punch blade or in Fig. 2. During the nextfollowing and tions are in their elevated and separated poformer willrest upon the upper side of the front die section, as represented byfull lines finaldownward step of the die and associated parts the body,blade and block of the punch as well as the inter-mediateand .rear diesections of the die move in unison from the position sho'wn by fulllines in Fig.2

to the position shown by dotted lines in this same figure, therebycausing the punch blade to move downwardly along the rear side of thefront die section, whereby the metal of the blank infront of the bladeis moved forwardly and downwardly' along the rear side of the front diesection; at right angles;

to the body, of the blank a suflicient extent to form the front wall 76.of the plaits which vertical wall is a companion to the inclined rearwall of the plait formed between the beveled faces of the die blade andintermediate die section. While the intermediate and rear die secsitionthe first part of the downward movement ofthe punch causes its clampingblock to press the sheet metal blank so that the previously 'p'artiallvformed plait having punch body,

-of.-the radiator'strip between the intermedii die sections tobecompleted.

ate and rear As the blank is pressed downwardly by the punch against thedie each completed blank enters the rabbet formed on the rear part ofthe rear die section'so that the same is not downwardly affected by theformation of the succeeding plaits and that immediatelyin rear of thefirst completed plait is supported by the retaining pins '48 so as toprevent distortion'of the strip durpart of the radiator strip mg theoperation of forming succeeding plaits thereon.

While'the' members of the punch and die are coeperating with each otherin the manner described for producing a" partial plait on one portion ofthe blank and completing another plait on another part of the blank thecotip'erating longitudinal ribs grooves of the die and punch membersproduce the longitudinal ofi'sets at opposite and longitudinal edges ofthe webs of the radiator strip. iThese oflsets are partially formed bythe ribs of the front die section and the grooves of the punch body infront ofthe punch blade and these oflsets are completed subsequently bycoiiperation of the ribs on the intermediate die sections with theoffset grooves in the punch body in rear of the blade and the front partof the offset grooves in the clamping block and by engagement of theoffset ribs of the rear die section with the rear part of the offsetgrooves in the clamping block. After the punch has completed itsdownward stroke relatively to the die and has effected the partialformation of one plait and com; pleted the formation-of another plaitthe punch is raised to its highest position. During the first part ofthis movement the blade and block and also the 1 intermediate and reardie sections move up wardly together. When the intermediate and rear diesections have reachedStheir uppermost position the punch body and bladecontmue their upwardmovement I while the punch block remains in enga e-'ment with the Intermediate and. rear ie sections and during the lastpart of the up- "ward movement of the punch the clamping block is liftedfrom the intermediate and rear die sections and the ejector pins raisethe strip blank so that its'.plaits are above the upper surfacesof thelast mentioned die sections. At the same time that theintermediate andrear die sections are raised the completed bead of the radiator sectionis released by reason ofthe rearward movement of the rear die sectionunder the action of the springs 43.

By inserting shims 77 of varying thicknesses between the abutment 'blockand the rear cross bar of the die holder it is possible to adjust thehorizontal throw of the rear die section for admitting the same to foldthe plaits more or less closelyasdesired and also for taking up wear onthe cooperating inclined surfaces of these parts. The front and rearworking faces of the intermediate die section'and the'front working faceof the rear die section are. each preferably cut back slightly in thecentral,

parts of the same while the end parts are left full, as shown in Figs.1, 2, 3 and '5.

'By this means the ends of the walls of each plait are pressed firmlytogether for presenting a solid, or continuous edge on the front andrear sides of the finished radiator while the parts of each plaitintermediate of its ends are separated'so as to permit water to enterinto these spaces and thereby increase the cooling efiiciency of theradiator.

My improved construction ofv bending machine for producing theseplaited. and offset radiator sections or strips is so organized that themetal at no time i is stretched or distorted but is merely bentnaturally, thereby preventing variation in the length of the strips orin the spacing of the distances between adjacent 'plaits, whereby theassembling of the strips in the manufacture of the radiators isfacilitated and uniform and better fitting radiator tubes are insured.Moreover by avoiding stretching of the metal it is immaterial whether ornot the same is tempered and all liability of weakening. the metal orforming leak holes in the same is avoided.

Furthermore,in my improved construction of bending machine the metal isoperated upon in such manner as to result in .a mini mum strain or wearuponthe dies, thereby I reducing the liability of getting them out oforder as well as eifecting a saving in the cost of repairs.

I claim as my invention:

1. A metal bending machine comprising a die having a fixed frontsection, a vertically movable intermediate section cooperating with saidfront section, and a vertically and horizontally movable rear sectioncoiiperating with the intermediate section and a vertically movablepunch having a body cooperating with the upper sides of said fr'ont andintermediate die sections, a blade fixed on the body and adapted to co.operate with the rear side of said front die section and the upper frontcorner of said intermediate die section, and a clamping block-movablevertically independently of. said blade and body and adapted tocooperate with the upper sides of said interme-' -diate and rear diesections.

2. A metal bending machine comprising a die having a fixedvfrontsection, a verti- I cally movable intermediate section 006perating withsaid front section, and a ver- I tically and horizontally movable rearsection' cooperating with the intermediate section, a vertically movablepunch having a body cooperating with the upper sides of [said front andintermediate die sections, a

blade fixed on the body and adapted to cooperate with the rear side ofsaid front the section and the upper front corner of said intermediatedie section, and a clamping block movable vertically independently ofsai d blade and body and adapted to coiiperate with the upper sides ofsaid intermediate. and rear die sections, means for holdingsaidintermediate and rear die sections yi'eldinglyin an elevatedposition, and

means for holding" said clamping block yieldingly in a depressedposition.

JOHN M. FEDDERS.

Witnesses: I

Tnso. L. Porr, E. M. GRAHAM.

WVitness my hand this 28th day of March,

Corrections in Letters Patent No. 1,122,092.

It is hereby eertifiedthat in Letters Patent No. 122,092, grantedDecember 22,

1914, upon the application of John M. Fedders, of Bufiaio, New York, foran improvement in Meta-l Bending Machines,- errors appear in the printedspecification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 57, strikeout the words beads" of the intermediate and rear end insert the wordsfaces of the upper .and intermede'ate; page 5, line 10, for the wordadmitting read adapt ed; and that the said Lettere Patent shouldbe readwith these eorreetions therein that the same may chhforrn to the reeordof the case in the Patent Oifice. 4 Signed and sealed this 19th day ofJannary A. D., 1915 [5m n] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acti/ng Oomm'iss'ioner qf Patents.

